Winter 2022
News from Across the SEVP Divisions
Message from Craig

A very Happy New Year to all of you!

Hopefully you enjoyed the extended winter break and some relaxing downtime. As 2022 begins we are still grappling with the impact of Covid-19 and its variants. As you know, we are working remotely until January 24, and classes have begun remotely for the first two weeks.

While not ideal, it is the best policy for keeping us safe from spreading or contracting Covid. That said, I know it can be frustrating. Human beings crave predictability, as we are hard wired to dislike uncertainty - a neurobiological response we inherited from our long-ago ancestors. Facing multiple rounds of lock down due to the new variants generates uncertainty, and that generates stress.  

You may be saying “Isn’t this obvious? Everyone knows that uncertainty is stressful.” But, I would like to offer an alternative way of approaching this situation that I will name, Covid Coexistence.

Instead of feeling blindsided by disruptions caused by Covid, we need to get comfortable that it may spike up and fall away from time to time. We could train ourselves to say “Well, that’s just Covid, I coexist with it by putting a mask back on, socially isolating, and avoiding large groups. But it is only temporary.”

I am not down playing the seriousness of the virus. We know it can be deadly. I am reminding us that for the last two years we have successfully navigated the virus, and learned some very valuable lessons along the way. We can and must carry that success into the future. And while these times in which we live feel unsettling, we can manage feeling personally unsettled by leaning on each other and our institution.

A new year comes with resolutions. As we Coexist with Covid, let’s resolve to be more patient with each other, and kind to one another, because the fact is we are all going through this together, and will get through this together.

Craig 


Craig's List


Returning to Campus... Again

We look forward to welcoming you back to campus safely on January 24th. In the meantime, please see below for some helpful resources as it relates to masking, testing, boosters, and general guidance for the start for the 2022 spring semester.


  • Double-Masking Requirement: All members of the Penn community in campus buildings will be required to double mask (layering a cloth mask on top of a disposable mask) or to wear a KN95 or N95 mask. We will increase the availability of masks across campus.

  • Gateway Testing: All students, faculty, staff, and postdocs who will be on campus during the spring semester are required to complete a gateway test after returning to campus and no later than January 31, regardless of vaccination status or result of pre-arrival testing. Those arriving to campus after the end of January should test on the day they arrive to campus. This test must be completed through our Penn Cares testing system. Anyone with a positive result from a gateway test will be required to isolate and cooperate with our contact tracing efforts. All University community members must schedule their Penn Cares gateway test at covidscheduling.upenn.edu/.

  • Booster Shots: All students, faculty, and staff are required to receive a COVID-19 booster shot by January 31. Anyone who is not yet eligible for the booster by January 31 must receive the shot within 30 days of becoming eligible. Individuals who were previously approved for a medical or religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement will be exempt from this new requirement. A vaccine booster clinic will be held on campus at Gimble Gym from 8 am - 4 pm on Friday, January 14, and Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, January 17, 18, and 19. To schedule your appointment, visit their COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic page.

  • Pre-Arrival Testing: Faculty, staff, and postdocs are strongly encouraged to complete a test before returning to campus. A PCR test is preferred, but rapid tests are also acceptable. Those who receive a positive PCR test result must email their result to covidtesting@upenn.edu and report their positive result through PennOpen Pass. Those who receive a positive rapid test result must report their result through PennOpen Pass. Anyone with a positive pre-arrival test should complete their isolation at home before arriving to campus. Negative test results do not need to be submitted to the University. Those who do not have access to a pre-arrival test should immediately test upon arrival to campus and quarantine until they receive a negative test result.


Penn and the Community

Thanks for the Gratitude
See how Penn faculty and staff are practicing gratitude for their well-being. In the December 1st myHR, we invited fellow faculty and staff members to share their gratitude experiences. Take a look at what they shared and learn more about the benefits of being actively thankful.

Biometric Screenings Made Easy
Biometric screenings have been a signature Be in the Know activity since Penn launched the wellness campaign in 2012. While on-campus screenings have been put on hold due to the pandemic, participants can obtain a biometric screening by using the Pixel by Labcorp Home Test Kit or the Labcorp Voucher Program, both offered through Virgin Pulse. You can order a free home test kit from the Virgin Pulse platform or download a coupon to get a free screening appointment at a Labcorp facility near you. Learn more here.

VP Rush Retires
Maureen S. Rush, Vice President for Public Safety & Superintendent of Penn Police, retires after nearly three decades! Read this Penn Today story to learn more.

Celebrating 5 Years of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Pennovation Works!
It’s been five years since the official grand opening of the Pennovation Center and the redevelopment of the 23-acre Pennovation Works campus, as highlighted by Penn Today with a look at the evolution of the site, its research and commercialization achievements, and a glimpse into the future. We recently recognized this milestone with a week of events and programs celebrating a community where ideas go to work. Check out an album of Pennovation in Pictures, listen to a (recorded) panel discussion about the R&D occurring on site, or watch several companies as they tell their stories of growth in this ecosystem.  
 


Engaging the Penn Workforce

Penn’s MERT, ‘prepared for anything’
Student-led Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) is featured in Penn Today.

Get a sneak peek into Workday’s new home page.
Set to go live on February 1, 2022, all Workday users are invited to attend a live, virtual demonstration on January 26, 2022, from Noon to 12:30 p.m. ET. Additionally, access a recording of a December 10th information session providing a comprehensive overview of the changes related to the Pennant suite of systems coming in March 2022.

In November, Penn’s Identity and Access Management project team implemented SailPoint as the new identity engine for the Penn Community identity management system.

Last Chance: Specially Discounted Computer offer from the Penn Bookstore
Looking to start off the new year with a new laptop? Save over $200 on the Apple MacBook Air. The system is highly portable (weighing under 3 pounds) yet outfitted with extra memory and extended warranty. The laptops are immediately available, but there are only a few remaining. They must be reserved in advance by clicking here to place an order. Once processed you will receive and email on how to pick up at the Penn Bookstore.

Craig's Tips

We put a spotlight on the people behind the places in our retail district – including some new members and the OG – so you can get to know the store owners, managers, restauranteurs, chefs, and more where you shop and dine around campus. And watch for new retail openings coming in the months ahead! Learn more here.

Check out the Morris Arboretum Conifers Tour!
 Bundle up and visit Morris Arboretum for January’s featured tour of the month, which explores the wide variety of conifers – both evergreen and deciduous – on display. These notable specimens provide multi-seasonal interest with an array of forms, foliage, bark, and of course, cones! Tour begins at Widener Visitor Center, and is included with admission. Weather permitting. For more information click here. 


Did the Eagles Really Make the Playoffs?! Tweet Your Photos!
Most of us are working remotely right now, but I hope you're still wearing your GREEN on Fridays. Let's see my Eagles fans celebrating @PennEVP no matter where you are showing support! Let's go BIRDS!
Photos from the Fall of 2021 in the Franklin Building

Thank you to Lynn Manuel, SRFS’s Veteran and Military Affiliated Coordinator, for taking the lead on our veteran engagement efforts! The Veteran's Day Open House was on November 9th, 2021 in the SRFS Student Service Center and we invited all known veteran and military-affiliated students to stop by, grab a snack, meet our team, and tour the new space. The Veteran’s Lounge in the SSC is a dedicated space for veterans and military-affiliated students to get support on using their VA benefits and is the first of its kind at Penn. We are super proud of it and were thrilled to see how many students showed up on a cold November day! This is just the start of our enhanced engagement efforts with this population.

The Halloween decorations in the Franklin Building were incredibly impressive and fun to see! Does anyone recognize the guy on the left?


Have suggestions or topics you would like to see covered in the next EVP newsletter or future newsletters? Email Cindy Paul, cynpaul@upenn.edu